Kate Doherty

Kate Doherty is a Cheltenham-based sculptor. She has a Masters Degree in Ceramics from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff where she first developed her love of porcelain. She taught Art for 18 years including at The Cheltenham Ladies' College from 2003-14.

The human head is an obvious fascination, but idealisation or 'best versions' hold no interest for her. She has strong views that those with less-than-perfect features can be much more captivating as a subject. Porcelain also has important symbolic references to longevity and invulnerability for her.

Kate's work looks to the past for its influences but pursues new ways of depicting the human face and the illusion of drapery. Of particular interest are the Flemish ‘Primitive’ painters such as Van Eyke and Rogier van der Weyden, the 19th Century marble busts in the National Portrait Gallery and Sèvres portraiture biscuit porcelain.

She has exhibited twice at the annual 'FACE' Exhibition with the Society of Portrait Sculptors and is currently working on two commissions; a professional woman in her 40s and a man of 75 with wonderfully distinguished features.